She's a talented seamstress. But neither she nor her husband is very handy when it comes to fix-up jobs like painting or landscaping.
To get work done on her house, without spending a lot of money, Michelle logged onto a website called U-exchange.com.
She's hoping to trade her sewing skills or her husband's computer and marketing skills for painting, landscaping and carpentry work.
Michelle says she has loved the idea of bartering ever since she was girl, when she traded her girlfriends sandals she made for Barbie dolls.
Once on the site, Michelle typed in detailed descriptions of both what she has to offer, and what she's looking for.
Then, she waited for the offers to come in and began exchanging emails and phone calls with people who were offering the types of work she needs done.
Michelle's also hoping to work out a house exchange on the site, so she and her husband can take an inexpensive trip.
She says in this economy, she thinks everyone should consider bartering.
"You have baby-sitting skills, you're a really good cook or a good baker. Everybody has something to offer. It makes sense to swap your services for somebody else's services," she says.
To find out more about U-Exchange, click here.
You might also want to check out:
People Trading Services
Criag's List
More money-related links:
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